SUMMARY
The Government believes that reasonably priced and reliable access to broadband is vital for competitiveness and economic development. It wants citizens to be able to access a full range of Government services using the internet. We recognise that, in many areas, the Government's policies towards these ends have been successful. However, we also note that the Government is committed to the maintenance of vibrant rural communities, and advocates diversification in the rural economy. It is therefore unfortunate that progress towards the Government's vision of broadband access, and the uses to which it could be put, has been significantly slower in rural areas. As such, it has allowed a 'digital divide' to open up between urban and rural areas in terms of the availability of broadband.
We believe that the Government urgently needs to close the divide. We recommend that the Government now commit itself to ensuring that broadband is made available to all areas of the United Kingdom according to a defined timetable. We recommend that the Government allocate adequate resources to support that policy. We also make a number of other detailed recommendations to encourage broadband access in rural areas. In particular, we recommend that the Government help develop imaginative means by which other users can 'piggy-back' on public infrastructure.
In respect of broadband Defra has begun to demonstrate a capacity to be a Department for Rural Affairs. But we urge it to do more. If rural areas are not to be disadvantaged compared to urban areas it is vital that Defra acts as a strong advocate for broadband provision in rural communities, and we look forward to it doing so.
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